Bridge

Trumping your partner's winner is a play that you tend to associate with the local whist drive rather than top class bridge. It can, however, be a necessary thing - this deal from the Genrali Individual staged in Paris earlier this year was a case in point.

After two passes, West opened One Club (not the greatest opening bid!) and North overcalled with One Diamond (not a thing of beauty, either!) after which the auction livened up. East bid One Heart, South tried One Spade and, after a pass by West, North raised to Two Spades. West doubled (perhaps prematurely, for North might have been considering a raise to game) and all passed. West led a low club to the 10 and declarer ruffed the club continuation. He played off dummy's top hearts and ruffed another club in hand before cashing the two top diamonds and leading a top heart from hand. West ruffed with his jack of trumps and got off lead with his queen of diamonds.

If this is allowed to win there is nothing that West can do to avoid being end-played in trumps and forced to concede declarer's ninth trick. However East rose to the occasion by trumping his partner's diamond winner and leading a fourth round of hearts.Now West was able to ruff high again and he still had a safe exit with his last club. In the fullness of time he came to a third trump trick to defeat the contract.